In a scanning probe microscope (SPM), a probe at a cantilever is positioned in the vicinity of specimen, over a very small distance down to the atomic-diameter order and the probe is then used to two-dimensionally scan the surface of the specimen. A force attributable to, for instance, the interaction of the specimen and the probe is detected through this process, and recessions, projections or the like present at the specimen surface are observed based upon the detected force. A nanotweezer holds a minuscule object in a nano order size as its front end is opened and closed. There are nanotweezers known in the related art that have both the observation function and the holding function described above (see, for instance, patent reference literature 1). In the device disclosed in the patent reference literature, two carbon nano tubes are fixed onto the front end of the cantilever of an atomic force microscope, one of the carbon nano tubes is used to observe a minuscule object and the minuscule specimen is grasped and released as the front ends of two carbon nano tubes are made to open/close with electrostatic force or the like.
Patent reference 1: U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,254